The planned liberalization of Bulgaria’s electricity market for household consumers has been postponed indefinitely, according to Plamen Mladenovski, Chairman of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (KEVR). The decision was made following the latest proposals submitted to the Parliamentary Energy Committee.
For the time being, the liberalization process will apply only to the wholesale electricity market. Mladenovski clarified that KEVR will continue to regulate household electricity prices, including maintaining the current structure of day and night tariffs. This means that average residential consumers will not experience significant changes in their electricity bills.
Mladenovski also reassured the public that there would be no sharp rise in electricity prices as of 1 July, easing concerns about potential cost spikes due to market changes.
Importantly, Bulgaria will not face sanctions from the European Union for delaying the full liberalization of its electricity market. According to Mladenovski, the Bulgarian government engaged in extensive negotiations with the European Commission, resulting in an agreement that permits liberalization to proceed only at the wholesale level for now.
The postponement was formalized on 7 May, when the Bulgarian Parliament approved two draft amendments to the Energy Act, officially delaying the liberalization of the retail electricity market for households.
